U.S. patent application number 09/820986 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-11 for fuel tank mounting structure for scooter.
Invention is credited to Nakagawa, Mitsuo.
Application Number | 20010028168 09/820986 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18610406 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010028168 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nakagawa, Mitsuo |
October 11, 2001 |
Fuel tank mounting structure for scooter
Abstract
A fuel tank mounting structure for a scooter having a front
frame extended downward from a head pipe, a pair of footboard
support frames extended backward from the front frame, a footboard
attached to the pair of footboard support frames, and a fuel tank
disposed under the footboard. The fuel tank mounting structure
includes fuel tank shelves extended from lower parts of the
footboard support frames toward the center of the body of the
scooter, wherein the fuel tank is seated on cushions placed on the
fuel tank shelves, and is held in place by the footboard.
Inventors: |
Nakagawa, Mitsuo; (Saitama,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
18610406 |
Appl. No.: |
09/820986 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/830 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62J 35/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/830 |
International
Class: |
B60P 003/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 30, 2000 |
JP |
2000-095510 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A fuel tank mounting structure for a scooter comprising: a front
frame extending downward from a head pipe; a left and right
footboard support frame extending backward from the front frame; a
footboard attached to said left and right footboard support frame;
a fuel tank disposed under said footboard, and fuel tank shelves
extending from lower parts of said footboard support frames toward
a center of a body of the scooter, wherein said fuel tank is seated
on cushion sheets placed on said fuel tank shelves, and is held in
placed by the footboard.
2. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein
said left and right footboard support frame has a U-shaped cross
section and opens upward.
3. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein
said footboard support frames further comprises flange member
formed integrally with said left and right footboard support
frame.
4. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 3, wherein
said flange member is attached to said footboard.
5. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 4, wherein
said flange member is fastened to said footboard by screws and
nuts.
6. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein
left and right footboard support frame further comprises a n
incline d outer surfaces, which is parallel to a left bank line and
a right bank line, respectively.
7. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein
said cushion sheets comprises a left cushion sheet and a right
cushion sheet.
8. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 7, wherein
said left cushion sheets further comprises: an inner surface of a
shape conforming to a shape of a portion of said fuel tank between
a left end of a lower surface of said fuel tank and a left side
surface; and an outer surface of a shape conforming to a shape of
said inner surface of said left footboard support frame and a upper
surface of a left fuel tank shelf.
9. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 7, wherein
said right cushion sheets further comprising: an inner surface of a
shape conforming to a shape of a portion of said fuel tank between
a right end of a lower surface of said fuel tank and a right side
surface of the same; and an outer surface of a shape conforming to
a shape of an inner surface of a right side member and the upper
surface of a right fuel tank shelf.
10. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein
said cushion sheets are composed from an elastic member.
11. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 11, wherein
said cushion sheets are composed from rubber.
12. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein
said cushion sheets are bonded with an adhesive to said fuel tank
shelves.
13. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein
said cushion sheets are bonded with adhesive to an inner surface of
said footboard support frame.
14. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein
said cushion sheets may be positioned relative to the footboard
support frames by cushion sheet positioning ribs formed in the
footboard support frames so as to protrude inward from an inner
surfaces of the footboard support frames.
15. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 14, wherein
said fuel tank is provided with concave ribs.
16. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 15, wherein
said concave ribs of said fuel tank engages with said cushion sheet
positioning ribs.
17. The fuel tank mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein
said fuel tank is formed by blow-molding.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel tank mounting
structure for a scooter, capable of increasing freedom of designing
a fuel tank and of facilitating mounting a fuel tank on the body of
the scooter.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Generally, the fuel tank of a scooter is disposed under a
footboard on which driver's feet may rest. A fuel tank mounting
structure will be described.
[0003] Referring to FIG. 6 showing a conventional fuel tank
mounting structure in a sectional view, a fuel tank 100 is
integrally provided with a flange 101, a plurality of sets each of
a cushion rubber member 102 and a collar 103 are incorporated into
the flange 101. Stays 105 are attached to right and left footboard
support frames 104 (only one of the floorboard support frames is
shown) included in a body frame, nuts are welded to the stays 105,
and bolts 107 are passed through the collar 103 and screwed in the
nuts 106 to fasten the fuel tank 100 to the footboard support
frames 104.
[0004] When forming the fuel tank 100, for example, by blow-molding
a resin parison, a blow mold must be a split mold that can be split
along a parting line corresponding to the flange 101 to form the
flange 101. Consequently, the fuel tank 100 must be formed by a
limited molding method and the degree of freedom of designing the
shape of the fuel tank 100 is reduced.
[0005] Since the plurality of bolts 107 is necessary for fastening
the fuel tank 100 to the stays, an assembling line for assembling
scooters for mass production needs many man-hours for fastening
many fuel tanks 100 to the stays with he bolts 107.
[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a fuel tank mounting structure for a scooter, capable of
increasing freedom of designing a fuel tank and of facilitating
mounting a fuel tank on the body of the scooter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] To achieve the object, according to one aspect of the
invention, a fuel tank mounting structure for a scooter has a front
frame extended downward from a head pipe, a pair of footboard
support frames extended backward from the front frame, a footboard
attached to the pair of footboard support frames, and a fuel tank
disposed under the footboard, the fuel tank mounting structure
comprises fuel tank shelves extended from lower parts of the
footboard support frames toward the center of the body of the
scooter; wherein the fuel tank is seated on cushions placed on the
fuel tank shelves, and is held in place by the footboard.
[0008] Since the fuel tank is mounted on the cushions placed on the
fuel tank support brackets, and is held in place by the floor
board, the degree of freedom of designing the fuel tank is greater
than that of designing the conventional fuel tank provided with the
flange which is fastened to the footboard support frames with
screws, the fuel tank does not need any flange, and any fastening
step for fastening the fuel tank to the body of the scooter with
screws is not necessary.
[0009] The fuel tank mounting structure for a scooter according to
another aspect of the invention has the fuel tank shelves extended
from lower parts of the footboard support frames toward the center
of the body, the fuel tank is seated on the cushion sheets placed
on the fuel tank shelves, and the fuel tank is held in place by the
footboard. Therefore, the degree of freedom of design of the fuel
tank is greater than that of the conventional fuel tank provided
with a flange to be fastened to the footboard support frames with
screws, the fuel tank does not need any flange, and the procedure
for mounting the fuel tank on the body frame does not need any
fastening step using screws.
[0010] Thus, the fuel tank can be manufactured at a low cost and
can be easily mounted on the footboard support frames.
[0011] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.
However, it should be understood that the detailed description and
specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various
changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying
drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are
not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an essential part of a
scooter employing a fuel tank mounting structure in a preferred
embodiment according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an essential part of the scooter
related with the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 in FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a fuel tank relating to the
present invention;
[0017] FIGS. 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) is a schematic sectional view of
assistance in explaining a fuel tank mounting procedure; and
[0018] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a conventional fuel tank
mounting structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be
described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The drawings are supposed to be viewed with the reference
characters in an erect position.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an essential part of a
scooter employing a fuel tank mounting structure in a preferred
embodiment according to the present invention, in which body
covers, wheels and a power unit are omitted to facilitate
understanding the description of the invention.
[0021] A scooter 10 has a body frame 11, a head pipe 12 joined to
the front end of the body frame 11, a handle post 13 supported for
turning on the head pipe 12, a handlebar 14 attached to an upper
part of the handle post 13, an upper arm 15 pivotally joined for
turning in a vertical plane to a lower end part of the handle post
13, a lower arm 16 pivotally joined for turning in a vertical plane
to a lower front part of the body frame 11, a hub 18 supported for
rotation and turning in a horizontal plane to a front end part of
the lower arm 16, a sub-arm 17 joined to the front end of the upper
arm 15 and connected to the hub 18 to steer the hub 18, a fuel tank
21 disposed in a middle part of the body frame 11, and a carrier
box 22 attached to a rear part of the body frame 11.
[0022] The body frame 11 has a down frame 31, i.e., a front frame,
extended backward from the head pipe 12, a right side member 33 and
a left side member 32 (footboard support frames) extended backward
along the right and the left side of the body frame 11,
respectively, from the lower end of the down frame 31, and a rear
frame 34 extended obliquely rearward and upward from the rear ends
of the right side member 33 and the left side member 32.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the scooter related with the
present invention, i.e., a central part of the body frame 11.
[0024] The body frame 11 is formed by connecting the down frame 31
to the right side member 33 and the left side member 32 by a front
cross member 35, and connecting the respective rear ends of the
right side member 33 and the left side member 32 by a rear cross
member 36.
[0025] The fuel tank 21 is formed by blow-molding a resin parison
and has a rectangular shape in a plan view. The fuel tank 21 is
disposed in a space surrounded by the front cross member 35, the
right side member 33, the left side member 32 and the rear cross
member 36 of the body frame 11. Shown also in FIG. 2 are a filler
pipe 41 connected to the fuel tank 21, a filler cap 42 attached to
the filler pipe 42, and a footboard 43 indicated by imaginary lines
for supporting driver's feed thereon.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 in FIG. 2. The
side members 32 and 33 have a U-shaped cross section and open
upward as shown in FIG. 3. A left fuel tank shelf 52 and a right
fuel tank shelf 53 are extended obliquely toward the center of the
body from the lower ends of the right side member 33 and the left
side member 32, respectively. A left cushion sheet 54 and a right
cushion sheet 55, i.e., elastic members of rubber, is placed on the
left fuel tank shelf 52 and the right fuel tank shelf 53,
respectively, and the fuel tank 21 is seated on the cushion sheets
54 and 55. Then, the footboard 43 is fastened to the left side
member 32 and the right side member 33 with screws 56 and nuts 57
so as to press the fuel tank 21 against the fuel tank shelves 54
and 55 through rubber cushion members 58. Indicated at 59 are
flanges formed integrally with the left side member 32 and the
right side member 33 to hold the footboard 43.
[0027] Chain lines are left bank line LBL and a right bank line
RBL. The left bank line LBL indicates the position of the ground
relative to the body frame 11 when the scooter 10 (FIG. 1) is
turned to the left, and the right bank line RBL indicates the
position of the ground relative to the body frame 11 when the
scooter 10 is turned to the right.
[0028] The left side member 32 and the right side member 33 have
inclined outer surfaces 32b and 33b parallel to the left bank line
LBL and the right bank line RBL, respectively. Therefore, the left
side member 32 and the right side member 33 can be spaced a large
distance apart to secure a large space for the fuel tank 21.
Furthermore, the fuel tank 21 may be of a large capacity and hence
the scooter 10 is able to travel a long distance without refueling
when the fuel tank 21 is filled fully with fuel.
[0029] Since upper parts of the left side member 32 and the right
side member 33 can be extended greatly outward and the distance
between the outer edges of the flanges 59 can be increased, the
footboard 43 may be of a great width. Thus, the footboard 43
provides a sufficiently large space for the driver's feet and hence
the driver is able to enjoy a comfortable ride.
[0030] The left cushion sheet 54 has an inner surface of a shape
conforming to the shape of a portion of the fuel tank 21 between
the left end of the lower surface 21a of the fuel tank 21 and the
left side surface 21b of the same, and an outer surface of a shape
conforming to the shape of the inner surface 32a of the left side
member 32 and the upper surface 52a of the left fuel tank shelf
52.
[0031] The right cushion sheet 55 has an inner surface of a shape
conforming to the shape of a portion of the fuel tank 21 between
the right end of the lower surface 21a of the fuel tank 21 and the
right side surface 21c of the same, and an outer surface of a shape
conforming to the shape of the inner surface 33a of the right side
member 33 and the upper surface 53a of the right fuel tank shelf
53.
[0032] The fuel tank 21 is located and held in place with respect
to directions along the longitudinal axis of the scooter by the
front cross member 35 of the body frame 11, in contact with the
front end of the fuel tank 21 and a locating plate, not shown,
extended forward from the rear cross member 36 so as to be in
contact with the rear end of the fuel tank 21 or by friction
between the fuel tank 21 and the cushion sheets 54 and 55 and
friction between the side members 32 and 33 and the cushion sheets
54 and 55. The cushion sheets 54 and 55 may be positioned relative
to the side members 32 and 33 by cushion sheet positioning ribs 32c
and 33c formed as shown in FIG. 2 in the side members 32 and 33 so
as to protrude inward from the inner surfaces of the side members
32 and 33, respectively.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the fuel tank relating to the
present invention. The fuel tank 21 is provided with concave ribs
61 formed so as to extend between the side walls 21b and 21c (the
side wall 21c is not shown) and the upper surface 21d of the fuel
tank 21, and concave ribs 62 formed so as to extend between the
side walls 21b and 21c and the lower surface 21a of the fuel tank
21.
[0034] The concave ribs 61 and 62 enhance the rigidity of the fuel
tank 21. When the cushion sheets 54 and 55 are provided with ribs
capable of engaging in the concave ribs 61 and 62 on their inner
surfaces, force for restraining the fuel tank 21 from longitudinal
movement can be increased.
[0035] In FIG. 4, indicated at 63 is a parting line formed in the
surface of the fuel tank 21 by the parting line of a blow-molding
die when forming the fuel tank 21 by blow-molding.
[0036] Since the fuel tank 21 relating with the present invention
does not have any flange, the position of the parting line 63 can
be optionally determined, which increases the degree of freedom of
designing the shape of the fuel tank 21. Therefore, the fuel tank
21 can be formed in a shape conforming to the shapes of the body
frame 11 and the footboard 43 in the largest possible capacity.
[0037] A fuel tank mounting procedure for mounting the fuel tank 21
on the body frame 11 will be described.
[0038] FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c) is views of assistance in explaining the
fuel tank mounting procedure.
[0039] In a step shown in FIG. 5(a), the cushion sheets 54 and 55
are placed on the fuel tank shelves 52 and 53 of the side members
32 and 33 of the body frame 11 so as to extend along the inner
surfaces 32a and 33a of the side members 32 and 33, respectively
The cushion sheets 54 and 55 may be bonded with an adhesive to at
least either the fuel tank shelves 52 and 53 or the inner surfaces
32a and 33a of the side members 32 and 33, respectively.
[0040] In a step shown in FIG. 5(b), the fuel tank 21 is seated on
the cushion sheets 54 and 55.
[0041] In a step shown in FIG. 5(c), the footboard 43 is fastened
to the flanges 59 of the side members 32 and 33 with the screws 56
and the nuts 57, so that the rubber cushion members 58 are pressed
against the upper surface 21d of the fuel tank 21. Threaded holes
may be formed in the flanges 59 of the side members 32 and 33 to
screw the screws 56 therein and the nuts 57 may be omitted.
[0042] As apparent from the description made in connection with
FIGS. 1 and 3, according to the present invention, the fuel tank
mounting structure for the scooter 10 having the down frame 31
extended downward from the head pipe 12, the pair of side members
32 and 33 extended backward from the down frame 31, the footboard
43 attached to the pair of support members 32 and 33, and the fuel
tank 21 disposed under the footboard 43, comprises the fuel tank
shelves 52 and 53 extended from the lower parts of the side members
32 and 33 toward the center of the body of the scooter 10, wherein
the fuel tank 21 is seated on the cushion sheets 54 and 55 placed
on the fuel tank shelves 52 and 53, and is held in place by the
footboard 43.
[0043] Since the fuel tank 21 is seated on the cushion sheets 54
and 55 placed on the fuel tank shelves 52 and 53 extended from the
side members 32 and 33 and is held in place by the footboard 43,
the degree of freedom of design of the fuel tank 21 is greater than
that of the conventional fuel tank provided with a flange to be
fastened to the footboard support frames with screws, the fuel tank
21 does not need any flange, and the procedure for mounting the
fuel tank 21 on the body frame 11 does not need any fastening step
for fastening the fuel tank 21 with screws to the body frame
11.
[0044] Thus, the fuel tank 21 can be manufactured at a low cost and
can be easily mounted on the body frame 11.
[0045] Although the foregoing embodiment uses the cushion sheets 54
and 55 and the rubber cushion members 58 shown in FIG. 3 for
holding the fuel tank 21 in place, a right cushion sheet extending
from the lower surface 21a through the right side surface 21c to
the upper surface 21d, and a left cushion sheet extending from the
lower surface 21a through the left side surface 21b to the upper
surface 21d may be used for holding the fuel tank 21 by the
footboard 43.
[0046] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in
the art are intended to be included within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *